When you mention American soccer to anyone outside of the US, the likelihood is you’ll be asked about one of two players.
One is Clint Dempsey, who played much of his soccer in England, and the other is Landon Donovan. Donovan is a star on both sides of the sea, having appeared in Germany’s top flight and for Everton in England. His profile ensures he remains as well-known now as when he played, more so than the likes of Christian Pulisic, the first US player to appear in a Champions League final.
What is not as well known is that Donovan is a strategic advisor to a small provincial soccer club that made big headlines five years ago. The New York Times explains how Lincoln City made headlines worldwide in 2017 when they beat Premier League Burnley to become the first non-league team in over a century to reach the FA Cup quarterfinals. It was a true David and Goliath moment, akin to the US beating England in the 1950 World Cup.
Things have changed for Lincoln City since then. They used their success to leap two divisions, and last season they were a single game away from playing in the Championship, the second division in England and one of the top ten divisions in the world in terms of attendances. This season, they have started poorly and are amongst the outsiders for promotion in Ladbrokes latest betting odds. They’re not as prolific or dominant as they were behind closed doors last season, but they have a secret weapon up their sleeve – Landon Donovan.
Firstly, there’s no suggestion Donovan is going to move to England. He’s happy managing San Diego Loyal, who NBC San Diego confirm recently bagged a playoff place in the Pacific Division. There’s no indication he’s leaving, but he does now have an interest in Lincoln, known as The Imps. That’s because his friend, Harvey Jabara, has invested a significant six-figure sum into the club. Jabara of Phoenix became friends with Donovan through his son, an aspiring soccer player. When the investment executive wanted a club to put money into, Donovan acted as an advisor.
The deal was struck in June, and with travel restrictions relaxed between the US and England, Jabara will travel over in December to visit the club, meet chairman Clive Nates for the first time, and see for himself how they developed since that historic win. As for Donovan, he’ll be hoping his San Diego side are still involved in the postseason matches and may have to postpone his trip for now. It is still a coup for The Imps to have such a decorated international on board, advising them on the emerging US market.
It might even be a beneficial partnership to San Diego Loyal, with another rather high-profile footballer and scout showing an interest in The Imps. Recently former Premier League winner Christian Fuchs was seen at one of their academy matches; Fuchs currently runs a soccer academy in New York. He took time to check out the current crop of Imps talent in their FA Youth Cup game with Aylestone.
It seems some leading soccer figures are turning their attention on the Imps, who developed Jordan Adebayo-Smith before his move to Tampa Bay Rowdies. Perhaps, with Donovan’s input, we might see a few exciting young English players heading stateside in the future.
